


Let Me Call You Sweetheart

by rogueshadows



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drinking, Flirting, Insecurity, Kissing, M/M, Misunderstandings, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 13:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16788139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rogueshadows/pseuds/rogueshadows
Summary: Luke's sisters wedding is in a week and he's made the terrible mistake of making out with one of his future brother in law's groomsmen after the bachelor party. With little hope of his terrible crush being returned without the help of alcohol, he tries his best not to make things awkward.





	Let Me Call You Sweetheart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SassySnowperson (DramaticEntrance)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticEntrance/gifts).



> Your prompt was too cute to pass up! I really hope you enjoy this. Special thanks to my partner in crime for beta'ing.

Luke feels like he’s floating, world blurred at the edges, the only concrete thing in the universe is Lando’s strong arms carrying him as they wind down the hall of the hotel. He clutches Lando tighter, pressing his face into Lando’s shoulder to avert his eyes from the carpet pattern that’s making him so dizzy. Lando chuckles soft, adjusting his hold around Luke to better support him.

“Almost there,” he promises, not half as far gone as Luke. He hadn’t joined in Han’s little drinking competition, insisting there had to be one of them left with some sense at the end of the night. 

Luke hums in contentment, “The beds here are so soft, I can’t wait.”

“Me either, you’re getting kinda heavy. No offense.”

“S’okay,” Luke murmurs, shutting his eyes. Lando smells so _good_. And looks good and is just generally great. Luke’s glad he came to the stupid bachelor party after all.

“Thanks,” Lando answers, sounding amused. “Just need you to stand for a minute sweetheart, can you?” 

“Mhm.” At the response Lando sets Luke down gently, waiting until he’s managed to balance himself against the wall to let go completely. He fishes the keycard out of his pocket and opens the door and finally ushers Luke inside.

Luke takes one look at the bed and flops down onto it, sinking into the soft comforter. Lando huffs a laugh, shrugging off his blazer and undoing his watch. Luke watches him, tracks his movements across the room, and decides he’s entirely too far away.

Sitting up with some effort as his head swirls, Luke beckons him over. “C’mere, please.”

Lando listens, smile not faltering as he comes to stand beside the bed where Luke had sprawled. “Yes?” 

“Are you coming to bed?” Luke asks, feeling bold. “I’d really like it if you would.” 

“Sweetheart,” Lando starts, biting his lip. “I think it’s best if I take the couch, let you get some rest. I should probably get you some water too.”

“I don’t...I’m not a kid, you know. N matter what Han says. I want you and we’re already here together.”

“That’s some reasoning,” Lando says, teasing but not unkind, standing close but still holding himself back. If Lando doesn’t want Luke then that’s one thing but...he _must_ with the way he’s looking at Luke now.

“Just one kiss,” Luke reasons, even better than before, reaching out to wrap a hand around Lando’s wrist. “Let me, _please_.”

“Luke, I...” Lando looks torn and Luke really wishes he’d stop thinking so hard about this. Luke darts out his tongue, wetting his lips in a subconscious motion. “Alright, alright, stop pouting and scoot over.”

Luke doesn’t bother moving too much, instead giving into the urge to tug Lando into the bed. Lando lands half on top of him, knees straddled over one of Luke’s legs, laughing as he tries and fails not to bear down on Luke completely.

“Hey,” he breathes in weak protest, eyes glinting with amusement. Luke doesn’t waste his time, reaching up to thread his fingers in the collar of Lando’s shirt, tugging until he finally leans in close enough to kiss.

Luke surges up to meet him halfway, breath hitching as Lando kisses him with ardor. Despite all his hesitations and excuses, Lando melts into the kiss, his hand brushing along Luke’s side and making him shiver. He brings up his other hand to curl around the back of Lando’s neck, keeping him close until they both need to break for air.

Luke pants against Lando’s mouth, looking up at him unfocused. He mourns the loss of warmth when Lando uncurls Luke’s hand from the front of his shirt, settling back onto his knees and running a hand through his hair. 

“Come back,” Luke insists, not caring that it comes out petulant. Lando lets out a breathless laugh, his pupils blown when he meets Luke’s gaze.

“Give me a sec,” Lando says, shifting to flop onto his back beside Luke instead, making it all too easy for Luke to curl up against his side. Lando sighs but when Luke tilts his head up onto Lando’s shoulder he smiles, bringing a hand up to cup Luke’s cheek.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, especially if your sister catches wind of this.”

“Leia wouldn’t care. Besides, just look who she picked,” Luke replies with a lack of filter.

“Hey, that’s my best friend you’re talking about and your future brother-in-law.” 

“There are things I’d much rather be talking about,” Luke says, pitching his voice low in an attempt at seduction, sliding his hand lower down Lando’s chest. “Or not talking.”

Lando laughs harder than before and Luke’s furrows his brow in frustration, heat rising on his cheeks for all the wrong reasons. “Don’t laugh at me. Maybe I should just-”

“I’m not, honey, I swear, just c’mere,” Lando says, finally ducking in close again, leaving Luke to close the distance between them. Lando holds back more this time, keeping the kiss chaste and easy. It’s not everything Luke wants but it’s _nice_. 

He repeats the motion, one kiss melting into another, leaving Luke hazy and pliant. When Lando draws back this time he stays close, nuzzling his nose against Luke’s. It’s so sweet and calming that Luke has to bite back a yawn, his restless body finally winding down. He wasn’t kidding before, the beds are _soft_ and so is Lando.

“I think we should call it a night,” Lando whispers. “But in the morning I’m going to take you on a real date okay? As long as the hotel brunch counts.”

“I’d like that,” Luke murmurs, shutting his eyes and pressing his face into Lando’s neck, already well on his way to sleep.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

\--- 

Luke wakes up and regrets it immediately, the sharp pounding in his head a reminder of why he never ever drinks with Han. It had been his bachelor party though, and Han had insisted that his days of freedom were going to go out with a bang. The casino had been Lando’s idea when Han shot down the strip club plan, knowing it would cause a bigger fight than it was worth. (As if Leia’s friends hadn’t brought her to a strip club for her bachelorette party the weekend before, a fact Luke had been sworn to secrecy never to tell Han.)

Never again, Luke swore to himself as he squinted his eyes open, shifting on the bed with a groan, only to be met with the heat of another body at his back. Luke freezes in place, trying to put together the pieces of the night before, only for an arm to wrap around his waist and tug him closer. A voice murmurs soft and smooth against his neck before he can manage any words of his own, “Good morning.”

Luke feels himself go flush in recognition of Lando’s voice, memories coming back slow, of fumbling back to Lando’s room together when Han finally tapped out for the night. Luke always had a tendency to flirt shamelessly once he’d had too much to drink, and the night before had been no different apparently. He remembers Lando smiling across the table, chinking their glasses together, sticking by Luke when he stopped to play the slots.

It had been nice, trailing after Han, Chewbacca, and Wedge together. Watching as Lando beat Han and the house at poker and won the pot, much to Han’s chagrin. Even nicer to come back afterwards and...Luke remembers _a lot_ of kissing. Lando’s gentle hands on Luke’s, not letting him take things too far. 

Lando had carried him back to the room, oh god. Replaying the events in his mind Luke can’t help but feel embarrassed, that he’d all but thrown himself at Lando. That his foolish thoughts are already trying to make more of it than it is. They were both drunk, to some extent at least, and it was a bachelor party. It wasn’t like Lando would ever actually want to _date_ him or anything, especially after he’d acted like such a fool.

“Morning,” Luke manages, trying to keep the discouragement from his voice, trying to extricate himself from under Lando’s arm as gently as he can. When Lando realizes he backs off right away, giving Luke space and sitting up.

Luke can’t help but glance over, watching as Lando stretches, his dress shirt thrown off some time in the night. Luke forces himself to look away, down at his own askew clothing. 

“Some night, huh?” Lando remarks with a chuckle.

“You could say that. Remind me never to drink with Han again.”

“No promises,” Lando says with that same blinding grin as always, the one that made Luke’s heart beat faster and his stomach flip. “You’re a fun drunk Skywalker.”

“I...you too, I think. It’s all kind of fuzzy,” Luke says, telling a half truth to spare them both the awkwardness. Lando pauses for a moment at the words, looking thoughtful.

“Ah, well...I could help to fill you in a bit if you-” Lando’s words are cut off by the melodic ring of Luke’s phone, close enough that Luke can feel it buzzing. He fumbles in the sheets for a moment before finding it strewn somewhere in the middle of the bed. He sees the caller ID is Leia and sees the time and panic hits him.

“Aw crap, I…I’ll be right back,” Luke promises, answering the phone, scrambling out of the bed all at once to duck into the bathroom while they talk. “Hey Lei, good morning,” Luke tries to sound more chipper than he feels. His sister, of course, cuts through the falseness in an instant.

_“Is it? Sound a little rough on your end...Oh, Luke, don’t tell me Han actually convinced you to try and keep up with him!”_

“I...yeah, it was fun though.” There’s a prolonged silence, challenging the statement. “Really it was! The casino was a great idea, the guys all had a great time.”

_“As long as you didn’t let Han spend more than planned or go off with anyone.”_

“Does Chewie count?” Luke asks, running the sink, getting himself a small cup of water in hopes hydration will dull his regrets a bit. 

Leia laughs, _“You know, sometimes I wonder.”_

“The truth? He got all maudlin and started missing you pretty early on, wishing you’d come out to be his good luck or something,” Luke says, pulling the memory from somewhere despite the persistent thrum in his brain.

 _“Good,”_ Leia says, sounding more sentimental than she probably means to. _“I really hope you’re not too hungover to come pick up the dress with me later...”_

“Of course not,” Luke says, despite the churning in his stomach. “Just need a strong cup of coffee and an hour to get to you, okay? Lando’s awake already, I’ll just ask if can keep an eye on Han and make sure he gets checked out on time.”

_“Lando? How do you know he isn’t just as...Luke...you didn’t!”_

“See you in an hour, love you, bye!” Luke hangs up in a rush, knowing he’s never going to hear the end of her once they’re together. He sighs, uses the bathroom and braces himself before going out into the room again. 

Lando is still right where Luke left him, relaxing back against the headboard, raising an eyebrow when Luke goes for his shoes.

“What’s the rush?” Lando asks, curious but not unkind. 

“Promised Leia I’d meet her, help her out with some errands, wedding stuff never ends I guess,” Luke says, sitting at the foot of the bed and tugging his shoes on, purposefully not looking at Lando. Not when he knows all that’s left to this is Lando letting him down easy, laughing it off and letting Luke go. “Just make sure Han gets out of here in one piece for me if you can.”

“Of course, I’ll make sure he doesn’t lose the house or anything,” Lando says and Luke finally glances over, shooting him the best smile he can muster in his current state. He thinks he has Advil back in his own room at least. Lando looks back at Luke and there’s something searching in the gaze, a concern that was entirely too much for Luke to fathom at the moment.

“Thanks, that means a lot to Leia. I...I guess I’ll see you at the wedding then,” Luke manages, nodding once and turning before Lando can really answer. He forces himself out the room as Lando calls out a goodbye.

\---

The week between the bachelor party and the wedding goes faster than Luke imagined, between his own work at the antique shop with Old Ben and helping Leia make sure everything’s on track. He’d thought about calling Lando, or texting at least, more times then he’d care to admit, stopping himself each time. It wasn’t like Lando was banging down his door either, he thought, trying not to feel disappointed by the fact.

With his pathetic love life aside, it feels like a sigh of relief when the wedding day finally comes. For Luke, at least, for Han and Leia however… He spends the morning caught between the two, getting up early to bring Leia breakfast and check in that she’s alright and then rushing back to assure Han that Leia really is still going to marry him. Where Leia hides her anxiety, promising Luke that she’ll be fine and pulling him into a hug, Han is wracked with it. When Luke comes into the room he catches Han mid pace, walking the room and reciting his handwritten vows to himself. At least he’s in his suit already, downright decent looking for possibly the first time Luke’s ever seen him.

“Han you know stumbling over a word won’t make her change her mind, she loves you!”

“It just might! Your sister, kid...she’s pretty particular,” Han sighs. “Damned if she doesn’t deserve it perfect. Just leave me to it for a while, okay? Helps work out the jitters.”

“If you say so,” Luke allows, secretly feeling a little bit moved by the sentiment. Luke can’t stick around and watch him pace though, not when there’s still so much to do. He leaves Chewbacca to it and goes to get himself ready, realizing only once he’s done up in everything else that he has no idea how to get the bowtie right. Normally he’d ask Leia about this sort of thing but he knows she’s frenzied at the moment, with Evaan and Jyn helping her get ready.

He considers his options. Chewbacca might be able to...but he was still making sure Han didn’t fly off the handle. Wedge hadn’t stayed at the hotel. Lando…

He’d have to face Lando eventually, having missed him that morning when he was off with Leia. He figures now is as good a time as any to get it over with.

He goes to Lando’s room and knocks. There’s a long moment where Luke wonders if this is all a big mistake before Lando answers. Then he’s sure of it. Lando looks even more amazing than he had at the bachelor party, his suit expertly tailored to hang on his frame, his bow tie done up perfectly. Luke stares for entirely too long, knowing his distraction hasn’t gone unnoticed by the quirk of Lando’s lips.

He doesn’t tease though, aside from the implicit amusement in his voice. “Hey Luke, is it time for pictures already?”

“Not yet,” Luke answers, “if it were I’d be in trouble. Don’t laugh but… can you help me with this?” Luke gestures to the tie hanging undone at his neck.

“You came to the right place, come on in.”

Luke edges into the room, shutting the door behind him with a click, trying and failing not to feel self conscious. Lando ushers him over to the long mirror hanging on the wall.

“More used to tying my own this way. If you don’t mind?”

“Oh, of course,” Luke says, taking a step towards the mirror, facing his own reflection as Lando comes up behind him, pressing close. He reaches around for the tie at Luke’s neck, gathering the two ends in his hands. He tips his head over Luke’s shoulder so he can watch what he’s doing, gently tugging the tie into better position. Luke can feel Lando’s breath at the nape of his neck as he works. 

He catches Luke’s eyes on him and huffs a laugh against his neck. “Watch and maybe you’ll learn something.”

Luke flushes, forcing his gaze to his own reflection, tracking the way Lando’s fingers nimbly work the tie into a perfect bow, pristine enough to match his own. Luke knows he’ll never be able to repeat the simple actions, too distracted to do much more than stand there. Lando finishes, backing off but not far, resting his chin on Luke’s shoulder as he examines his work.

“Perfect,” Lando says against the shell of Luke’s ear, the word making him shiver. Luke is a second from turning around and asking Lando if he has any idea what he’s doing to him. He knows he’s overreacting, though, and he’s too stubborn to ask outright what Lando might want from him, with him. He envies the way Lando never seems flummoxed by anything, breezing along as if he knows something Luke doesn’t.

“Thank you,” Luke says, finding the strength to step away, turning and straightening his suit. When he looks up Lando is watching him still, something unreadable in his expression. It’s there and gone again as Lando clears his throat, taking a step back to further the distance between them.

“How is everyone else doing? When I left Han this morning he seemed...”

“Like a nervous wreck?” Luke supplies, glad for the change of subject. “He still is, keeps scaring himself into thinking Leia is going to leave him at the altar.”

Lando laughs. “Please, she’s just as gone as he is. They’ve both been so high strung over this wedding business. No one else deserves each other more.”

“I know,” Luke says, smiling despite himself, glad that at least Leia has her future sorted out. Even if it came in a form she never imagined. 

“And you?” Lando asks, soft and expectant. Luke laughs soft, toying with the sleeves of his suit jacket.

“What about me?”

“How’s all this chaos treating you?”

“Pretty well, I think. How do I look?” Luke jokes back.

“Gorgeous,” Lando answers without hesitation. Luke feels his face heating, looking at Lando with no small hint of incredulity. “That okay for me to say? After last weekend...you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

For the first time Luke’s seen him, Lando looks unsure of himself, sliding his hands into his pockets. “If it’s not what you want we can forget it. What happens in...a casino in Connecticut...and all that.”

“No, I...I don’t want to forget it. It was nice, _more_ than nice. The parts of it I remember.” Luke fumbles out the words, his stomach fluttering in anticipation.

Lando looks up, his easy smile returning as he steps toward Luke again. Luke’s heart races at the closeness, especially when Lando’s hands come up to frame his face. “Maybe I could refresh your memory a bit?”

“Please,” is all Luke gets a chance to breathe before Lando is kissing him, soft and tender, like he already knows too well how to sweep Luke off his feet. Luke brings his arms up to circle Lando’s waist, tugging him closer, tipping his head to adjust the angle of the kiss and deepening all at once.

His hands clutch in the fabric of Lando’s suit and Lando breaks the kiss, a soft huff of breath against Luke’s lips. “Hey, careful, we still have to look presentable in a bit.”

Luke hums in consideration, silencing Lando with another press of lips before speaking. “Maybe you should just take it off.”

Lando raises an eyebrow at the suggestion, but doesn’t step away when Luke trails his hands up Lando’s chest, pushing the fabric off his shoulders. Lando’s halfway out of the suit jacket and already tipping back in for another kiss when a sharp knock at the door startles them both.

They break apart, Lando shrugging his jacket all the way back on with an apologetic look Luke’s way. Luke straightens himself out as best he can while Lando sees to the door, opening it to find Chewbacca in the hall, grumbling how it’s time for pictures and they can’t find Luke.

“I’m right here,” Luke pipes up, stepping into view. “We’ll both be down in a second, sorry.”

If Chewbacca questions his presence there at all it doesn’t show, the taller man simply shrugging and turning to go. Lando shuts the door, coming back over to Luke, stepping right into his space like he belongs there. He straightens Luke’s lapels and smooths out the fabric. 

“Sorry sweetheart, I guess we’ll have to pick this up later. As long as you don’t have some other wedding date waiting for you.”

Luke laughs, bringing up a hand to cover Lando’s. “No, I don’t think so. Kind of had my heart set on dancing with a certain groomsman.”

“Pretty sure I could arrange that,” Lando says, lifting Luke’s hand to his lips and pressing a kiss against his knuckles. Part of Luke wants to stay and kiss away the dreamy smile from his lips but his sense of duty to Leia wins out. She’s getting married in less than an hour, a fact that still feels as unbelievable as Lando’s confirmed interest.

“Stop distracting me, let’s go,” Luke insists, earning him a laugh. He pulls away and they head down for pictures together, finding themselves shoved into several group shots. Lando stands next to Han, patting him on the back reassuringly, teasing him into smiling for the pictures despite his clear anxiety. In between shots Lando shoots Luke looks that might be subtle to anyone else, but to Luke they’re nothing but, forcing him to bite back his too obvious grin.

It was going to be a long day but Luke had a feeling it would be worth it.

\---

The ceremony goes off without a hitch, from the moment Luke walks Leia down the aisle to the perfectly recited vows. Leia is beautiful and Han is grinning wider than Luke has ever seen. After their first married kiss Chewbacca tugs the two of them into a fierce embrace, making everyone laugh. Lando is at Luke’s side almost as soon as it’s over, sneaking up and laying a hand at the small of his back. He ducks in close to whisper over the sound of the guests milling about and offering congratulations to the newlyweds.

“Is it too early to get out of here?” Lando teases.

“Just a little bit,” Luke laughs, stopping just short of telling Lando how much he wishes that wasn’t the case, finding there’s no time to say anything when Leia spots him through the crowd and waves him over. “I...have to go. Brother of the bride duties to attend to. But...”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll find you on the dance floor,” Lando promises, pressing a quick kiss to Luke’s cheeky. Lando smiles without any shame as Luke flusters, forcing himself to nod and turn away.

Luke finds his way over to Leia quickly enough, through the press of well wishers, and pulls her into a hug.

“Don’t think I missed you and Lando over there,” she says, sounding entirely too smug after a week of Luke insisting nothing happened. 

“Yeah, yeah, you’re always right,” Luke said, too happy to deny anything. She pulls away, meeting his eyes with a glint.

“I’m happy for you,” Leia says.

“You’re one to talk.”

She only grins in response, shaking her head. There’s the sound of a shutter close by that catches Leia’s attention, forcing him to pose for a couple pictures with her and Han by the altar.

“So you and Lando, huh?” Han comments sounding somewhere between amused and put out. “He just had to go after the other twin-”

Leia nudges him and shoots him a warning look that actually manages to silence him for once. A perk of marriage Luke doubts will hold out too long. Luke stands through the pictures, trying and failing not to be hyper aware of Lando across the room, talking to his aunt and uncle, no doubt charming them completely.

Luke wants to go over, see just what they’re saying about him, but there’s no time for it as they’re all called to the ballroom for the reception to start. 

\---

After hours of greeting friends and distant relatives, speeches and toasts and traditions, the real party starts. The band plays a mix of old and new, drawing people from their tables to dance. Luke makes a quiet excuse to his aunt and uncle and makes his way to the floor, milling about with searching eyes until arms wrap around him from behind. Luke laughs in pleasant surprise, turning in Lando’s arms to face him with a grin. 

“You found me,” Luke says, leaning in close to be heard over the music.

“Promised I would, didn’t I?”

Luke loops his arms around Lando’s neck, pressing himself against Lando as the music turns slow. “Do you always have such perfect timing?” Luke asks, letting Lando take the lead, swaying along with the music. 

“You tell me,” Lando responds coyly, ducking in to brush his lips against Luke’s. Luke laughs into it, kissing back as their swaying slows. Pulling apart and feeling dizzy still.

“Hmm?” Lando’s hands on his waist tighten. “What’s the verdict?”

“Perfect,” Luke repeats. “Too perfect, maybe. I still can’t believe you actually like me, that’s why I left...I thought you were going to just let me down easy and I couldn’t-”

Luke cuts himself off, knowing his insecurities shouldn’t matter, not now.

“Sweetheart,” Lando breathes, “If you’d just stayed you would have known I think you’re pretty perfect too.”

Luke looks up at Lando and the lights catch his eyes just right, making them shimmer in the dim mood lighting. He’s looking at Luke and the sincerity there is unmistakable. 

“I know now,” Luke says, swallowing Lando’s smile with a kiss.


End file.
